Training
by Alfhild
Summary: Itachi has always been willing to serve as an obstacle for Sasuke to overcome, even at eight years old. Even with potty training.


Author's Note: The idea for this occurred to me while I was playing with my niece.

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto, and I do not own it.

Even as a toddler, Sasuke hated to lose.

And even as a young child, Itachi knew how to harness Sasauke's competitive nature to the younger's brother's benefit.

Mikoto sighed as she dumped her youngest son's sizable load of laundry into the washing machine. She and Fugaku had been potty training Sasuke for the past two months, but he still only made it to the bathroom without wetting his pants about once a day. Well, she thought to herself, at least he finally knows where he needs to go to take care of business.

Still, it seemed that something just wasn't clicking for Sasuke the way it had with Itachi. Mikoto didn't like to draw comparisons between her two sons, but she had little other experience from which to draw. Sasuke needed a push to get him into high gear, but Mikoto had no idea what kind of push to give him.

Upon entering the living room to join her three year-old son—who was quietly organizing his plastic farm animals on the rug—she heard the front door open and shut, and glanced up at the clock to see that it was three-thirty in the afternoon; Itachi had arrived home from his genin training as usual.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke cried as he jumped up, and, in his excitement, sent the farm animals in complete disarray.

Itachi came in from the hallway and greeted his mother and little brother. Although his posture was a relaxed one, Mikoto noticed how her elder son's eyes scanned the entire room before they momentarily fixated on the laundry basket at her hip. Those eyes don't miss a thing, do they? It was still so odd to see those red eyes on a child. She saw them often. Every time he came home they remained activated from from his daily training, only to disappear some time before dinner. Mikoto found it strange that Itachi would keep his Sharingan on even after entering the Uchiha compound; at first she assumed it was forgetfulness, but now she was sure it was something else.

When Itachi's recount of his day began to bore his younger sibling, Sasuke interrupted Itachi and began telling his brother about his own day in a louder voice. Their mother sent her gaze heavenwards in exasperation. Really, she hoped Sasuke would grow out of this precocious phase soon. While it could be very charming and endearing at times, some days—like today—it taxed her nerves. And judging by the way Itachi's features seemed strained in an attempt to feign interest, the eight year-old shared her notions.

"Sasuke," Mikoto spoke in an authoritative voice, "when was the last time you made pee-pees?"

Sasuke's posture turned rigid and his eyes went to the floor, ignoring his mother's question. But she was having none of that.

"You haven't gone since lunchtime. Now go to the bathroom before you wet your pants."

Now the toddler spoke up, and his voice took on a whiny tone. "But I don't have to go, mommy!"

Mikoto's eyes narrowed. Every day it was the same. A few hours would pass, she'd ask him if he needed to go, he'd reply with a no, and then almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, it would be too late for him to march his keister off to the toilet without wetting himself.

"Sasuke. To the bathroom. Now!"

And then Sasuke began to pout and tried to reason with his mother that he didn't have to go, when suddenly Itachi, who had been silently watching to exchange, spoke up.

Positioning himself as if preparing to run off, Itachi smirked down at his little brother.

"Good, then I'll get to the bathroom first. I'm going to win."

Sasuke gasped, quite affronted by Itachi's assertion.

"Oh no you won't!" he yelled. "I'm going to win!"

The three year-old sprinted off to the bathroom, and Itachi followed close behind until he was sure that Sasuke had actually made it to the toilet.

When Itachi returned to the living room, he picked up his bag and was about to head to his bedroom when he noticed his mother's shaking head and knowing grin.

"First you turn teaching him how to ride his tricycle into a competition. Now you've made going to the bathroom a race. Pretty soon, your brother is going to think he has to beat you at everything in order for it to be worthwhile."

"If it gets him to do what he needs to. . ." Itachi finished that thought with a light shrug of his shoulders.

There was the tell-tale sound of a toilet flushing and moments later Sasuke was running back into the living room with dry pants and a triumphant look on his face.

"See," Sasuke gloated, "I told you I'd beat you."

Itachi made a noncommittal grunt before respectfully nodding towards his mother and making his way towards his bedroom.

Sasuke was immediately at Itachi's heels, trying to race his reluctant competitor up the stairs.

The End


End file.
